Curtain-fixture



(No Model.)

G. R. G. JONES. CURTAIN FIXTURE.

N0. 391,369. Patented Oct. 16, 1888 N, PETERS, PhnloLflhogmphen Wash nginn, D. G.

. the band or ribbon will not wear and become NITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

GEORGE It. G. JONES, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CU RTAlN-FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,369, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed July 2'7, 1888. Serial No. 281,221.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. G. J ONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to curtain-fixtures; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a curtain-fixture which shall be very simple and durable in construction, cheap of manufacture, and efficient and reliable in service. \Vith these objects in view I provide one end of an ordinary shade-roller with'a small drum or spool, around which is coiled in the reverse direction to the shade on the roll a narrow flat band or ribbon, one end of which passes beneath a tensionspring that presses constantly on the band or ribbon with sufficient force to prevent the same from slipping under the weight of the shade suspended from the roll. This tension spring I prefer to make of a flat piece of spring metal, which is bowed or curved longitudinally, and the spring is held or fixed against endwise movement or displacement in a peculiar manner within a fixed support, the ends of said spring being in contact with the band or ribbon which passes between the spring and the base of the support, within the sides of the latter.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I prefer to make the band or ribbon of strong webbing and the spring and support of brass. I have found by experiments extending over a considerable period of time that when the parts are made of these materials useless by frictional contact with the support and spring due to the constant drawing of the band between said parts when the shade is (No model.)

rolled around the roller. On the contrary, the band or ribbon improves while in use, as, the spring and support being of soft brass, verdegris is deposited on said band, which serves to give a hard surface to the faces of the band in contact withh the metallic spring and support, which enables the band to slide with more ease when it is pulled by hand or the shade drawn down, while at the same time the pressure of the spring on the band is sufficient to sustain the weight of the shade,

I will now proceed to describe my invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a curtain applied to a window by fixtures embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof on the line as a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the support detached from the window-jamb and with the spring'removed therefrom, and Fig. 4 is a like view of the tension-spring. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through another form of support and spring contem plated by my invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates an ordinary shade-roll, to which a shade, a, is secured in the usual manner. This roll is mounted or journaled in the ordinary fixtures, B B, an ordinary face-plate, b, with a trunnion, b, being secured to one end of said roll A, and to the other end of the roll is affixed a spool or drum, G, which has a trunnion, c, journaled in the other fixture, B, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The diameter of the spool or drum corresponds to the roll A and is arranged within the fixture B, and thus avoids giving the roll an unsightly appearance and permitting it to be arranged close to the jamb in the same manner that ordinary rolls without the spool are adjusted.

D is the flat narrow band or ribbon, which is attached at one end to the spool or drum, and it is coiled or wound around the same in the reverse direction that the shade is rolled around the roll A.

By employing a flat narrow band or ribbon I am enabled to make the spool the same diameter as the roll without sacrificing the length of the band to accommodate the spool, as the band folds compactly and closely around the spool, and thus takes up very little space. Another advantage arising from the use of the flat band is that it flattens itself when itpasses beneath the tension-spring and around the spool, and it is thus prevented from twisting.

The band or ribbon passes between a tension-spring, E, and a support, F, which are clearly shown by the detail views, Figs. 3 and 4.. The support has a flat base, f, and two parallel sides, f, across the upper edges of which a bridge, f", is arranged. Suitable apertures, f, are made in the ends of the base to permit nails or screws to pass through the base and fasten the support securely in place on the jamb, and the exposed faces of the perforated ends of said base are slightly cut away to prevent the band or ribbon from coming in contact with the heads of the nails or screws.

The spring E is made of a flat piece of spring metal of sufficient width to properly fit between the parallel sides f of the support, and this spring is curved or bowed longitudinally, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. At the middle of the spring I provide two raised shoulders or flanges, e e, which are arranged transversely across the spring, and are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the bridge f 2 of the support to fit between the same.

To fit the spring E in the support or holder F therefor, one end of said spring is placed between the sides f, and the spring slipped endwise into the support between the sides thereof, pressure being applied by hand to the middle of the spring to depress the same sufficiently to permit one of the shoulders e or e to clear the bridge, and when the shoulders lie on opposite sides of the bridge the pressure on the spring is removed to cause the said shoulders to take on opposite sides of the bridge, which effectually prevents the spring from endwise displacement and leaves the ends thereof free to bear or press against the band or ribbon. Thesupport may be made either of cast or sheet metal; but when made of sheet metal it is intended that the bridge shall be formed by short lips or cars, which are struck up with the sides f and are bent toward one another. The shoulders c e of the spring are made, in practice, by stamping depressions in one side thereof at suitable points, which raises the flanges on the opposite sides of the spring.

The shade is provided with the usual pull, and to the free end of the band or ribbon is secured a pull, d.

In applying the support or holder to the jamb of the window it is adjusted about half way, or at any suitable point of the height of the jamb and in the same vertical plane as the spool or drum of the roller, and the band or ribbon is passed between the spring and the base of the support, the length of the band being such that the pull (1 thereof will strike the holder and spring before the The ends of the spring bear constantly on the band or ribbon with a uniform pressure, and holds the band from slipping under the weight of the shade, whether the latter is coiled around the roller or unwound its full length. To lower the shade, it is only necessary to grasp and draw down the pull thereof when the band slides freely through the sup port and beneath the spring and coils itself compactly around the spool or drum. The shade can be quickly raised by merely pulling down the free end of the band or ribb0n,whioh likewise slides easily beneath the spring and rotates the roll in the reverse direction to coil the shade around the same while the band uncoils from the spool thereof. In each case, when the strain is removed from either the shade or band to lower or raise the curtain, the spring holds the band or ribbon from slipping and sustains the shade in the position to which it is adjusted.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have illustrated a set-screw, G, working in the bridge f of the support F, for regulating the tension of the spring, as will be readily understood. V

The holder can be ornamented in any preferred style, as at h in Figs. 1 and 2, and

changes made in the form, proportion, and details of the several parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. The combination, in a curtain-fixture, of a rotatable shade-roll having a spool or drum at one end thereof, a fixed support secured directly to the jamb below said roll in the vertical line of the drum thereof and having a central transverse bridge, a longitudinally-curved spring detachably connected at its middle to the bridge of said support to be held thereby against endwise displacement and bearing at both free ends against the fixed support, and aband or ribbon coiled around the drum in the reverse direction to the shade on the roll and passing between the spring and the base of the support, substantially as described.

2. A support, F, having a bridge, f extending transversely above the base thereof at or near the middle, and a longitudinallycurved spring fitted in said support beneath the bridge thereof, and having the spaced raised shoulders e e on its exposed face,which shoulders fit on opposite sides of said bridge,

and thereby detachably hold said spring in I the support, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of a holder, F, having the parallel sides and a bridge, a curved spring arranged between said sides of the In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in holder and provided with the transverse spaced presence of two witnesses. shoulders normally held against the bridge,

. T and a band or ribbon passing between the un- GEORGE 5 confined ends of the spring and the base of the Witnesses:

support, substantially as and for the purpose BISHOP CLAY,

described. H. P. SHOTWELL. 

